The Daily News. THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1917. WAR OPERATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JULY 19, 1917. WAR OPERATIONS.

The outstanding features of the Alließ' ujicv.-lcns sre the victorious .progress of the Russians and the success of the French, while tho set off to these advantages is the disaster on the Nieuport sand dunes and the defiant attitude <

King Alexander of Greece. Chief interest centres in the brilliant achievements of General Korniloff in Galicia, where lie is marching upon Lemiberg. The Russian offensive, which is now in full swing, extends in the north from the watershed along the Rovno-LemDerg railway, practically to the Carpathians, while on the south of the Dneister the attack is working up from Stanislau, the combined movement being Bomewhat in the form of a pair of pincers. The latest calble news received by the Russian Embassy at Washington is to the effect that the whole of the Russian front, right to Rouinania is alive with battle. After crossing the Lomnitza the Russians were within twelve miles of Dolinn, a point where the Tailway from Stanislau turns sharply northward towards Stryj, a very important railway centre twenty miles to the north. Dolina has been captured, and the advance continues, but there are difficulties to he overcome. Dolina stands on the Sivka river, and in front of that stream there is a long spur of the Carpathians, which offers a formidable obstacle to direct attack, though it can 'be turned from the north. Some conception of the great pressure the Russians arc bringing to bear on the enemy may be attained from tho enormous captures made of men and guns, the prisoners numbering over thirty-six thousand. Any surprise that may 'be felt at the greatness of Russia's success should disappear in the light of the news that the Russian artillery is much more powerful than previously, while the army possesses a supply of marvellously effective bombs. The most gratifying result of these successes is the potent influence they are exercising on the Workmen's and Soldiers' Council who now appear to be inspired by a worthy zeal in prosecuting the war. Already the push has caused a withdrawal of German forces from other fronts, and it is evident that Jlindenburg (Rust weaken his reserves in the West, and that the Austrians must withdraw men from the Trentino. It was the Allies great offensive on the West front that gave the Russians the opportunity for their present drive, and its vigorous prosecution will materially help the Anglo-French on the 'West, the Italians in the Trentino, and the Allies in the L £alloinß. Both Hungary and Austria

are heartily weary of the war, which is sapping their vitality and creating internal troubles of considerable magnitude, while recent events in Germany point to a state of affairs that must be fairly desperate for the 'Kaiser 'to have to sacrifice his most prominent adviser, unless the whole 'business has been engineered as a piece of statecraft to dehide the outside world. In the West the French are doing wonders against tho Germans, and more than holding their own, while the British line has been slightly advanced. Now is the time for a great effort to deliver a smashing blow. The Xieuport disaster has undoubtedly caused a general feeling of sorrow, not because it was a reverse, but on account of the men being caught by surprise in a position where retreat was out of the question and the sending up of reserves practically impossible. That the British monitors were not available against the enemy was due to the weather, and ifc was douibtless this fact that emboldened .the enemy to make the attack which ended so disap•troutily for the brave Britishers who fought to the last man. Possibl) it .was owing to the weather that tho Jbritisli air service did not discover the activity of the enemy, but it did not prevent the Germans from making effective use of that arm of tho service. It was a bitter and harrowing experience, the like of which, it is hoped, will not recur. The fact that it was a local reverse does not mitigate the calamity. The position mas a dangerous one and demanded the utmost vigilance to prevent bein<* I caught unawares, and the unexpected happened, the British having to fight with their backs to a river. The situation in Greece is only what might have been expected. Alexander has turned contrary, but the Allies should be in a position t 0 convince him that he must carry out tho will of the people or clear out. Much interest attaches to the eiunpaign in Mesopotamia by reason of a recent announcement that the Turks are nibout to start a big drive there under the command of Von Mackensen. It is quite {possible that the Turks will make an attempt on a large scale, buit the Russian offensive in Galicia cannot fail to have its effect on the disposition of enemy trooips. It is considered that General Maude is in a good defensive position, provided his forces are not split up. His task will need sound strategy and an absence oi rashness. It may be that a retreat will have to take place, ibut the enemy mill also have his share of difficulties and there is no reason for anxiety as to the result. On tl<<! whole the outlook is satisfactory from tlie Allies' point of view, though the end seems still beyond our view.